I'm pretty sure the GARM will be whining even if we get LeBron. He's past his prime, not hungry to win anymore, can't beat Golden State, etc. Speaking of which, the reality is if we really want to beat the Warriors, we need LeBron. Simple as that. He's the "God Killer", as we saw last year. The point and only point of this trade is to increase our chances of enticing LeBron to come to Houston. #Brotherhood seems to be a theme with him right now. Maybe his next chapter in basketball is winning a title with his brothers, especially for the ones who have never won one before (CP3, Melo, Harden).
___________ Some rumblings about this Tuesday night. Sure enough, here we are. (Harden at PG) Fatigue factor in the long haul. Rockets have different tools at their disposal. They're continuing to pursue guys like Paul George to get another star in the mix. Clippers were not entirely committed to giving him the full 5-year max. D'Antoni: Hell of a move. As the guy who will pull all the strings, what is your vision for these two guys? It's a little early to say we'll do this or that for sure. I do know I've always thought the more PGs you have on the court, the better. We have two of the best, if not the best in the league. We'll have to figure it out. The other good thing is there will always be a great PG on the floor at all times. Definitely a positive. I've coached Chris for 8 summers with USA basketball. He's one of the smartest & I've thought one of the best PGs in the league. We'll figure it out. We'll have a different guy on the ball at different times. I don't see a problem. They figure it out. They're at the point where it's about winning. We'll figure it out together. Where were you when you heard Chris coming your way was a real possibility? When did it become real? How did it hit you? I've been all over the place. Daryl, they get up their war room & go to work. I was reading in the paper like the rest of you, in the sense that I don't really want to know. I've read a couple times it was a possibility but there's always those rumors out there. I always thought you go back to your team. Didn't think much about it until late last night that it was almost a done deal & I get a text that it looks good. Then went to bed, got up, around 11 got a text it's happening. I walk in the office & see up on the scroll it's happening. Then I found it wasn't official until the afternoon when we did it. That's kinda how it goes. Home? In Houston, yeah. Just got back from New York. Daryl didn't come out to NY. I love the team we had. If nothing happened, nothing happened. If they could pull something off, great. It turned out great obviously. I want to throw a theory at you & see if I'm off or any truth to it. You look at James & the decision you guys made to move him to the one. I was also there front row, end of the regular season where you wondered if wear & tear caught up to him. Spurs series, it seemed like he ran out of gas. As great as it was, maybe it wasn't sustainable? I don't know how much you've talked to James about this to this point, his willingness & openness to change the formula a bit. It definitely comes into play - his willingness to do what it takes to win. That started the year before when we moved him to PG. Now we'll probably move him back for a large part of the game. They'll share more. Realistically, you look around the league, we kinda maxed out last year. Now you add a HOF PG on a team with a HOF PG, it becomes more realistic. It will take a big burden off his shoulders. I don't know if this the right analogy but Curry got banged up 2 seasons ago & he was doing all that. Then you get Kevin who takes pressure off a lot of people & they win easily. As you chase Golden State, you have to keep getting better & adding pieces who are phenomenal. I think we did that today. There's six degrees of Warriors component to everything everyone is doing right now. Without a doubt. That's the deal. We're chasing maybe one of the best teams in the history of basketball. You can't stay stagnant. Nobody wants to go into the season, "OK, if you have a really good year, you can come in 3rd." We're all in. James has always been all in. That means sharing more of the spotlight, ball or whatever, he's more than willing to do that. He's always a willing passer & playmaker. That's why I thought the playmaking thing would work & why this will work. He does whatever it takes to win. In any system, off or on the ball, he'll be phenominal. He was before I got here. Adding another player won't take anything from him. He can adapt to the situation. That's what makes me excited. Certainly it's out there you guys are looking at more big names. Anything you can add? I can't. I'm not allowed & I don't know anything. It kinda fits hand in hand. I trust Daryl. This is his job. He trusts me to coach. I might go in & say I like this guy or that guy. I'll give suggestions. We'll play off each other. It works so much better when you trust the GM and the GM trusts you. We stay in our lanes by large. You mentioned all the time you spent with Chris. What has that relationship been like? Did you need to connect at all through this process? No. I talked to Chris after the trade went down. That's the first time I talked to him since a game or something. He's the reason my son Michael, who just graduated from Wake, Chris Paul was the reason. He rebounded for Chris a lot during the olympics. Chris talked him into going to Wake Forest. We've had this bond for a long time. I'm so excited about being able to coach him. I can't wait. So does he get credit for Jeff Bzdelik coming to town too? There you go. We'll give him credit there too.
Did they really give up a lot? I don't think so. Anyone would trade Lou Williams, Pat Bev, Dekker, a 1st and Harrell for a top 15-20 player, which CP3 is.
Anytime you can trade nonstars for a star, YOU DO IT, PERIOD! Morey should do the same thing for George if Indy is interested in Capela + anyone else outside of the stars.
Doc on CP relationship with Austin, BG, DJ: “We’ve heard all the stories about Blake and DJ and Austin. I can’t comment just on Austin because it’s just not right. We’ve heard he left because of all three today. He left because of DJ, he left because of Blake and now he left because of Austin. We know he didn’t leave because of that. There is a lot of speculation on why he left. The one thing I know is he didn’t leave because of any of those three guys. He left because he felt like he would have a better chance to win somewhere else. Under the circumstances, I thought we did terrific. Getting Patrick Beverley and Dekker and Montrezl was very important for us. And getting a first-round pick was important. Now we have assets. “At the end of the day, he gave us four good years and that’s all I can ask for. I hate the way it ended. I wish we could have ended it better, as far as winning. But as a franchise, we love where we’re at.”
http://insider.espn.com/nba/insider...is-paul-houston-rockets-la-clippers-trade-nba Spoiler How is a Chris Paul and James Harden backcourt going to work? What's next for Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Doc Rivers and the Clippers? Our crew debates and predicts the fallout from the wild trade. 1. Chris Paul and James Harden in the same backcourt: How's that gonna work? Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: Quite efficiently. The assembly of any superteam, almost by definition, requires some individual sacrifice, and there's plenty of precedent in recent years. Admittedly, they're both ball-dominant guards, but crafty, pragmatic All-Stars who want to win have a knack for problem-solving. That will probably require each to play off the ball more than they're accustomed to, but Paul is an outstanding spot-up shooter, and Harden can catch-and-go with the best of them. Tom Haberstroh, ESPN Insider: Probably not without some hiccups. These are two of the most ball-dominant players on the planet, but they have the skill set to make it work. I was much more worried about Dwyane Wade and LeBron James coexisting because of their spotty shooting record. But Paul shot 49.3 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s last season and Harden wasn't too far behind. If there's an offensive mind that can do it, it's Mike D'Antoni. Still, it will be bumpy at first. It was for Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, too. Andrew Han, ESPN.com: It's not a perfect fit on offense. James Harden is a run-and-gun maestro who has embraced D'Antoni's system, while Chris Paul is as methodical as they come, wanting to pound the rock into the hardwood until he sees the perfect play materialize. But they're both so gifted offensively that the Rockets will hum on that end of the court even if they have to play tag with the ball. It's the defensive end that should give people pause for concern. Jeremias Engelmann, ESPN Insider: Very well, I think. For one, the Rockets should definitely stagger their minutes, so each player will find himself on the court with the other for about only half the time. When playing together, the presence of another creator will allow both, especially Harden, to exert critically needed energy on the defensive end. On top of all that, Chris Paul's basketball IQ is simply too high to not make it work. Kevin Pelton, ESPN Insider: In basketball terms, I think it should work well. Having two elite ball-handlers allows the Rockets to get both of them plenty of rest, use them in dual pick-and-rolls like how the Portland Trail Blazers use Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum and have one of them space the floor since both are good shooters. The question is how happy the two of them, particularly Paul, are going to be sacrificing some of the possession and more importantly decision-making power they've both enjoyed. 2. How close does this put the Rockets to the Warriors? Arnovitz: Closer, but not close enough ... at present. The Rockets are still one additional player away from entering above-60-win territory, but they're now primed to add additional talent, preferably of the two-way variety. That's because the widest chasm between the Rockets and Warriors is on the defensive side of the ball. Closing that gap is even more essential than, say, finding a forward who can score. Han: The arrival of the point god in Houston likely pushes the Rockets past the Spurs (Gregg Popovich and San Antonio are a scheme CP3 is all too familiar with in the postseason), but Golden State is still #lightyears ahead. Andre Iguodala's flirtation with suitors would be the first crack in the Warriors' armor, but even then the Rockets require more two-way talent on the wings (e.g. Paul George) to even sniff Oakland. Pelton: Right now, the Rockets have exactly six rotation-caliber players under contract, so it's a little premature to discuss how they compare to the Warriors. But even if they don't acquire Paul George and just get the expected return with their non-taxpayer midlevel and biannual exceptions plus minimum-salary contracts, I'd project them second in the Western Conference behind Golden State. I still don't see a great five-man lineup to match up with the Warriors' best, so I'd have the Warriors as heavy favorites in a hypothetical playoff matchup. Haberstroh: To steal a line from Fran Fraschilla, the Rockets were one move away from being one move away. So they're still a move away, but this is a heck of a move from Daryl Morey. Their defense still needs some oomph in the frontcourt to compete at a championship level but Morey has shown he is aggressive in making that kind of move. I have more faith in Paul George than Carmelo Anthony filling that role. I don't know if anyone is available that can fill the Draymond Green role, but that's going to be what it takes for them to compete at the same level as the Warriors, who just wrapped up the three winningest seasons in NBA history. Engelmann: I love Chris Paul, who finished the season ranked second in Real Plus-Minus (RPM), behind only LeBron James. That said, Beverley has always been rated highly by plus-minus metrics, and Lou Williams is coming off a very strong 2016-17 campaign (though he was better with the Lakers), so the Rockets are losing two players ranked in the No. 40-55 range. Still, this move probably closes the gap between the Rockets and Warriors by about 50 percent. 3. How does this trade affect Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Doc Rivers? Pelton: If the relationship between Paul and his younger teammates was as bad as rumored at times, it might help the Clippers chances of re-signing Griffin and keeping Jordan when he can opt for free agency next summer. The Clippers did get enough in return for Paul to reasonably contend for a playoff spot next season if Griffin returns. Whether that would be enough to convince him to stay, or keep Rivers in his dual coaching and front office roles, remains to be seen. Engelmann: I'd assume the Clippers will now throw the super-max at Blake Griffin as to not disappear into obscurity, and I don't see Griffin declining. I doubt they'll look into trading Jordan, for whom life just got a little bit tougher, as he won't be spoon-fed perfect alley-oops by the league's best point guard anymore. Arnovitz: If the Clippers were entertaining any possibility of pivoting toward a younger roster with greater cap flexibility, then they now have cause to move that way. In addition to Paul departing, J.J. Redick has signaled that he won't remain with the team. I'm not certain Paul's departure is an enormous factor in Griffin's decision -- he might want a change of scenery in any event. And for Doc Rivers, the likelihood increased that he goes Pat Riley at some point in the next few seasons and retreats upstairs. Han: There's always been an uneasy truce in Lob City as both Paul and Griffin were dynamic playmakers that operated best with the ball in their hands. With CP3 gone, Griffin might find a complementary roster better suited to tap into his full potential. Doc Rivers might have murkier waters, though. The biggest argument for Rivers' dual role was that he could attract and retain the top talent in the league with uniformity of front office and coaching staff. But through four years, his star power failed to attract any marquee free agents at a discount, almost lost DeAndre Jorden before a last-minute change of heart and was just snubbed by (possibly) the best player in franchise history. Haberstroh: Everything is on the table. I wouldn't be surprised if all three of those names -- Griffin, Jordan and Rivers -- are somewhere else this time next year. The Warriors are just too good to think this group can win it in LA. I thought Paul had the strongest likelihood of staying and trying to lure LeBron James to Clipperland in 2018, but that's obviously a pipe dream now. I think it's a safer bet that Griffin leaves for Miami or Boston now that the Clippers' big three is broken up. Given Griffin's injury history, I'd imagine he wants to contend as long as his body holds up.
Spoiler 4. Who comes out of this trade best and worst? Haberstroh: Daryl Morey comes out the best and Doc Rivers comes out the worst. The Clippers' price tag to pry Rivers from Boston was real trade assets, big money and front office power. And without even a conference finals appearance, that's a tough pill to swallow. Now that Paul has bolted, Rivers' championship mystique fades by the day. Arnovitz: It's not a zero-sum game and there are far more winners than losers. Chris Paul gets a new opportunity with a fresh cast, and James Harden picks up a running mate. Daryl Morey will be heralded by capologists and hoop-minded economists as a stinking genius. Though they suffer the indignity of losing Paul, the Clippers took a decent haul from the deal. The loser might be Patrick Beverley, who played his way from undrafted vagabond to first-team All-Defense as the guts and soul of the Rockets. Pelton: I guess Daryl Morey comes out best. While this trade is a big risk because Paul can leave as a free agent next summer, Morey has always advocated the need to take risks to win championships, particularly in this super-team era. I think Montrezl Harrell comes out worst. Unless the Clippers trade Jordan, it's going to be tough for him to play many minutes in a contract year, and I doubt he'll be as efficient offensively with the Clippers as he was in Mike D'Antoni's system. Han: If we take the statement that Chris Paul was leaving as the base, the Clippers coming out with any trade is great (not to mention receiving more than serviceable players in the haul). It was just a few years ago that the other Los Angeles team lost Dwight Howard to Houston and had nothing to show for it -- and that could just have easily been the Clippers. Boston seems like most adversely affected here. Outside of Lakers innuendo and Cavs machinations, the Celtics were the clearest front runners for Paul George. And then in walks Daryl Morey ... Engelmann: I think Chris Paul comes out best: He gets to go up against the Warriors with a stronger team, one that can still offer him the a massive contract in the summer of 2018 if he decides to stick around. For the Rockets, it's a little scary, as Chris Paul's contract runs for only one more season. Chemistry or other issues might motivate him to leave, and they'd be left with nothing. 5. What happens when CP3 becomes a free agent in 2018? Haberstroh: He'll go to the place that offers the best chance to win a title. He'll be 33 years old at that point and even more desperate than he is now to fill that empty space on the shelf. I don't think he'll have a deep allegiance to Houston, but Harden, Paul, D'Antoni and Morey have one thing in common: They want that first title baaaadly. Can they lure LeBron to make it happen? Or does a LeBron-Paul linkup happen elsewhere, like New York? I can't wait to see how this one shakes out. Arnovitz: If the Rockets play to a respectable second place in the Western Conference (or better), Paul could choose to remain with the Rockets -- adding an additional (and particular) superstar. Han: Ever the cunning Machiavelli (or Sun Tzu if you prefer), Chris Paul will take the year to assess his new Houston digs. Will he jibe with Harden on the court? Can much-lauded Rockets GM Daryl Morey put a title contender around his megastar backcourt? If not, CP3 (who can now be a free agent in the same year as LeBron, Wade and Melo) might set sail for a different ship of banana provenance. Engelmann: Tough to foresee, but one scenario that I consider somewhat likely is Iguodala re-signing with the Warriors, who would storm through the playoffs once again, leading LeBron and Chris Paul to pair up to create their own super-team. But where? I'd imagine it'd probably not be in Houston. Pelton: Despite how I answered the first question, I think Paul remains a heavy favorite to re-sign with the Rockets. Each year that passes, the fifth season only Houston can offer becomes valuable because it becomes increasingly unlikely Paul could recoup that kind of value as a free agent at age 38.
Disappointed in getting the guy that puts you in the conversation for a title......because of Montrezl Harrell. Wow. Also, Harrell has no shot at turning into Matrix.
but Weeko and others told me that no one would ever want to play with ballhog James who plays no defense
How can anyone be mad at losing Harrell?? somebody thinking that Harrell could be Marion is like thinking that Dekker could be Hayward
Get on record saying I'm excited Will miss Williams the most. I liked watching him put up big numbers
The only player from our top 6 that we lost was Beverley, and he's the one directly replaced by CP3. We gave up a lot in volume, but talent wise it's way up, and we have more than enough cap room/exceptions to fill 7&8 if we can keep Nene.
Had to like the whole first page because awesome trade is awesome. Wow fellas. Fun off season indeed.
For me it's Bev but agreed that Lou, especially on that cheap contract, was a valuable piece. I guess I don't see it as that big of a deal because we probably now have the best Backcourt in the league by far with Gordon, Paul and Harden. If we were gonna lose depth I'm glad it was in the backcourt, where we can afford it
Paul had no interest in remaining in L.A. with the current setup of the roster -- and, maybe, the front office. ESPN’s Michael Eaves -- very plugged into the Clippers as a former studio host and sideline reporter—wrote Wednesday that Paul came to “despise” Doc Rivers for what Paul considered favorable treatment by Doc Rivers toward his son, Austin. (Naturally, Austin Rivers denied there was friction on Twitter later in the day.) Whatever the reason, Paul picked Harden, the runner-up for MVP and fellow superstar, to be his running mate. Anthony could well join them soon if the Knicks grant what is still his request -- a buyout, per a league source, of the remaining two years of his contract. That request could be tabled if there’s some clarity from the Knicks about what direction they plan to go in after Phil Jackson’s sudden departure Wednesday; are they planning to get vets who can help them win now (obviously, ‘Melo’s preference), or engage in robust rebuilding? By agreeing to an opt-in and trade, of course, rather than simply signing with Houston as a free agent, Paul also kept his Bird Rights -- and thus, kept open the possibility of a max deal in Houston next summer. (Whether the Rockets will be any more sanguine about giving him $200 million or so next year at 33 than the Clippers weren’t at 32 will be of interest.) Or, Paul could walk and join LeBron and Dwyane Wade and a bought-out Anthony somewhere next year as the NBA’s Space Cowboys -- old (by NBA standards) coots who just want one last ride together. There has been so much murmuring in league circles that the quartet is determined to find a home en masse in ’18. It was supposed to be with the Clippers, but the presence of DeAndre Jordan’s still-big deal, along with the possibility of Blake Griffin staying in the 310/213/818 (y’all got too many area codes) if he re-signs, likely made that impossible. Why James shies away from his role in the modern player dictating the terms of his employment -- a sea change from how it used to be and something that looks impossible to slow down -- is for him to explain. But just as Paul insisted Doc Rivers be the coach before he’d commit long-term to the Clippers in ’11, he negotiated the terms of his departure. ... It rankled some way up in the Clips’ organization that Paul always seemed closer, more attuned, with players on other teams around the league than his own teammates. The injuries were no one’s fault, but they occurred with regularity the last few years -- a separated shoulder, a broken right hand, a torn ligament in his left thumb. http://www.nba.com/article/2017/06/28/chris-paul-leaves-los-angeles-clippers-houston-rockets
Don't rule out LeBron guys, I'm serious. KD changed the game by going to GS. LeBron can one-up him by going to Houston.
